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Schnebly Hill Road
Trail Information
Difficulty - Mandatory
3 -
MODERATE
Difficulty - Optional
3 -
MODERATE
Status
Open
Distance
11.14 mi
Duration (one-way)
About 3 hours
Highest Elevation
6503 ft
Shape of Trail
Straight Through
Typically Open
04/01 - 12/15
Best Direction
West
Official Trail Name
153
Nearest Town
Sedona
Nearest Services
Sedona
Management Agency
Coconino National Forest
District
Red Rock Ranger District
Highlights
Altitude
Desert
Forest
Iconic“The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time,” said Thoreau in his 1854 book Walden. Sadly, he never saw Sedona. Sand dunes and seabed sediments were laid and then covered by more of the same over 300 million years ago. Under unimaginable compression, they became the sandstone we see today. A massive 3000-foot uplift 13 million years ago created the Mogollon Rim, running from central New Mexico to western Arizona, exposing the ancient sandstone layers. Walden’s gentle erosion took over. The ethereal beauty of Sedona’s many sandstone formations emerged. Today, tourists from all over the world flock to charming and captivatingly scenic Sedona. Offroaders come, too, running the many famous rocky trails in the area. Schnebly Hill Road is both a road and a rite of passage. The road is crowded and annoyingly bumpy on the descent from the Rim into Sedona. But the views always delight, all that red and buff sandstone formed into monuments ranging from massive to whimsical. Despite being a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, Schnebly Hill Road is a once-and-done for many. But it is one that you need to do and will always remember, a touchstone of the community, if you will. Thoreau never did Schnebly Hill Road. You should.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Stock SUV with High Clearance and 4 Low
Concerns:
Summary:
The rating is based on the many unavoidable ledges and protruding rocks between Waypoints 10 and 15.
Community Consensus
11 votes
19 votes
1 votes
Easier
Spot On
Harder
The weighted average of your fellow members agreement of our trail rating. As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community aware of changes.
Mandatory
3 -
MODERATE
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
3 -
MODERATE
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Typically, more rock or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 12" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 12" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 24" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep. Read More about our Rating System
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Wade May
Official Crew
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Trail Navigation
Schnebly Hill Road changes several times during its 11-mile descent into Sedona. The trail is nicely maintained with hard-packed dirt in its upper section, Waypoints 1 through 8. From Waypoint 8 to 10, the track gets increasingly rocky. From Waypoint 10, the trail descends 1800 feet along switchbacks and shelves on mostly solid rock with ledges and exposed boulders. There are no significant or named obstacles along the road, except heavy traffic on weekends and holidays. It is possible to run in 2WD vehicles with adequate clearance, but it is not recommended if the conditions are other than optimal. The use of low range on the descent can help save your brakes.
1. Trailhead (0 mi)
There are several large pullouts to gather and organize your group or to air down.
2. FR 9459H (0.5 mi)
FR 9459H leads off left to many large campsites in the tall pines. Continue straight.
3. FR 9460J (1.11 mi)
FR 9460J goes off left to dozens of shaded campsites surrounding an open meadow. This a very popular area on weekends and holidays. Continue straight.
4. Foxboro Ranch Road (1.47 mi)
Foxboro Ranch Road goes off left. Continue straight. Foxboro Ranch an active cattle ranch that dates back to the early 1900s. It also served as a "ranch school" in the mid-1900s. Well-to-do eastern boys came west to study the usual academic subjects but also to gain a true western experience and learn practical skills. Foxboro Ranch sits on an island of private property in the surrounding Coconino National Forest. Please respect the privacy of the ranch.
5. Foxboro Lake Dam (2.24 mi)
A large stone and concrete dam sits to the right of the trail. Water is a valuable commodity for ranchers. The dam creates a small lake to store water from late summer rains and winter snowmelt. The unnamed road to the left leads to some prime campsites on the edge of the meadow.
6. FR 9547F (2.89 mi)
FR 9547F goes off left. Continue straight. The area south of Schnebly Hill Road is part of the Wood Wildlife Area and is closed to motor vehicle traffic from December 15 to April 1. There are a few small campsites down FR 9547F.
7. FR 801 (3.48 mi)
8. FR 153A (4.02 mi)
9. FR 153A (5.57 mi)
FR 153A goes off south along the edge of the Mogollon Rim before looping back to Schnebly Hill Road at Waypoint 8. For those with clearance, this little trail offers several campsites with the best possible views of Sedona and its red rock wonderland. FR 153A is also part of a network of spur trails that is worth exploring and gets you away from the crowds.
10. Schnebly Hill Vista (5.61 mi)
A parking lot provides access to a dramatic view of Sedona and many of the red rock monoliths that draw visitors from all over the world. From this point on, Schnebly Hill Road is a steep descent on mostly solid rock with exposed boulders and ledges.
11. Hiking Trailhead (6.75 mi)
A small pullout serves as the trailhead for several hiking trails including the Munds Wagon Trail. A kiosk provides additional information.
12. Merry Go Round Rock (7.32 mi)
Merry Go Round Rock is a quirky little sandstone formation with excellent views for those willing to take the short but slightly steep trail to the top. A small pullout provides parking for only a few vehicles. This is also a stop for most of the jeep tour companies. Many movie scenes have used this area because of its dramatic views. The round drill holes you may see cut into the rock were used as mounts for heavy movie cameras. One of the gates used to close Schnebly Hill Road during inclement weather is located here.
13. Hiking Trailhead (8.45 mi)
A parking lot on the left serves as a trailhead for numerous hiking trails.
14. Overhang (9.04 mi)
On warm sunny days, the rock overhang makes an inviting place to park. This is usually a crowded area of the trail on weekends.
15. Trail End (11.14 mi)
The trail ends where the pavement begins. A large parking lot serves as a trailhead for numerous hiking trails. Continuing straight ahead a short distance deposits you into the center of Sedona.
Dispersed
Dispersed camping is readily available along the portion of Schnebly Hill Road and its spur trails east of Waypoint 10. Many of the campsites lie in the Woods Wildlife Area, which is closed to motor vehicles each winter from December 1 to April 15. From the trailhead to Waypoint 3, almost the entire south side of the trail is a series of dispersed campsites, many large enough for groups of RVs. A few smaller sites are scattered among those as well. Most all have fire rings and shade provided by the tall pines. For those with the required clearance, FR 153A hosts a handful of small but epic campsites right on the edge of the Mogollon Rim with the best possible views of Sedona and its red rock wonderland. Dispersed camping is not permitted west of Schnebly Hill Vista, Waypoint 10. For those desiring more amenities, Sedona offers lodging of every stripe, from commercial campgrounds to plush resorts.
Starting Point
Flagstaff
From the intersection of Interstates 17 and 40 in Flagstaff, drive 19.4 miles south on I-17 to and take Exit 320. Turn west to the trailhead. Alternately, from Sedona, near the intersection of SR 179 and Highway 89A is a roundabout. The northwest road out of the roundabout is Schnebly Hill Road. Continue on Schnebly Hill Road for a short distance until the pavement ends and the trail begins.
Trail Reviews
4.3/5 (78)
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/22/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
I have met folks on this trail from all over the country. Many don't know about the Jeep Badge of Honor program. It is as simple as downloading the "Badge of Honor" app, check into the trail when you get there and they will send you a trail badge in the mail for completing the trail. It is a cool program and free!
I did see a gentleman at the Vista taking pictures. I didn't think much of it as you can get a standard passenger SUV there from Interstate 17. I turned around and he was headed down the hill in a BMW X1 SUV. I caught up to him and suggested he turn around or risk damage to his vehicle. Well, he didn't turn around. I saw him on three wheels further down the trail by the Merry go round. He got down the trail and out the bottom surely with a significantly bruised undercarriage and torn-up road tires. Please don't do this.
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Open
Visited: 08/24/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Was my first like actual trail that was not just a dirt road. Disconnecting the sway bar and going up from the Sedona side it is very bumpy. Some rocks have been pulled up and need a bit of trickery to avoid. Did 4 miles up. Gate was open, and we were going to go for it, but we got caught in a thunderstorm and turned back. Going down this trail is a different story at night in the rain. Im still pretty green to offroading and did it in 4h with my sway bar off, and it was bumpier than I expected as a newbie. If i did it again, which i would, to get the full run, I'd go aired down and 4lo with sway disconnected so i could really take in the views and just meander through.
For a newbie, the views up there with the weather rolling in were spectacular. The rating is right. it's moderate like you need to do the work to get through.
Open
Visited: 08/10/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Very easy, nothing particularly technical. Its just kind of tedious....lots of bumps. Do yourself a favor and air way down. Good views !
Open
Visited: 07/03/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Great trail. Ran it downhill from the 17. Very very bumpy.
Running lifted 2 wheel drive. High clearance is a must.
Open
Visited: 06/16/2023
According to the Coconino National Forest website, this trail is open!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/22/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
This trail is rocky/bumpy but not technical. There is a lot of traffic from offroad tour companies. The gate is closed at the 4 mile mark but the view from the Merry Go-round is outstanding!
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Still closed 4 miles up from the Sedona side. Ran it in my JLU Sport S with 33"s with no issue. Most of the trail is probably closer to a 2 but there's a few sections that have some fun obstacles for stock/near stock vehicles. Aired down to 18PSI on non-beadlocks, definitely helped smooth out the ride. Great views.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Still closed 4 miles up from the Sedona side. Ran it in my JLU Sport S with 33"s with no issue. Most of the trail is probably closer to a 2 but there's a few sections that have some fun obstacles for stock/near stock vehicles. Aired down to 18PSI on non-beadlocks, definitely helped smooth out the ride. Great views.
Partially Open
Visited: 04/18/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Still only open 4 miles from the Sedona side going East. It's bumpy. Air down plenty.
Partially Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 04/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Schnebly Hill Road is only partially open as of 4/1/2023. I started the trail on the Sedona side (waypoint #15), and could only travel four miles up the road before it was closed off by a gate. It was still incredibly scenic and fun. The trail was very rocky and bumpy, but plenty wide for my 2018 F-150 Raptor. Lots of Jeep tours and hikers up and down the trail.
Partially Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 04/01/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
The trail was partially open. We had to start from the bottom and was able to go about 4 miles up and had to turn around. It was definitely worth going.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 03/19/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Very easy bumpy rocky road. Nice and wide. You will encounter other trucks, Jeeps and side by sides. Stock trucks and SUVs can handle this no problem. Worth the drive for the views of Sedona. Airing down can really help make the bumpy road more manageable.
Temporary Closure
Rated
4/5
Visited: 12/29/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
It was temporary closed at the date of my review due to snow and ice, but we’ve done it few month ago and also last year.
Super easy trail ( not sure why it’s a budge of honor trail … ) but well worth your time.
It cuts through the beauty of the Sedona Red mountain scenery and the views are plain incredible !
About the half way point ( or maybe closer to the Sedona end ) there’s a small lot where you can leave your rig and take a 12 minutes walk / hike to one of the more spectacular places you’ll ever lay your eyes on. If you want to see God’s creation - this is the place to see.
The trail gets busy during weekends and holidays but it’s more than wide enough for on coming rigs to pass through.
Like I said, this trail is very easy but it’s very very bumpy, so dial your suspensions to the softest settings, lower your tire pressure and enjoy one of the prettiest trails ever.
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 12/15/2022
The eastern end of Schnebly Hill and associated side trails are closed for the winter.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 11/28/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
By far one of the best trial I have done. It was great up to the view point, but after that very bumpy ride down the road. Ran into a bunch of pink jeep tour guys. Check off of my list of trails I have to do.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 11/16/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Nothing difficult on the trail, just constantly rocky on the lower portion. Great views, but overall the trail just became a bit of a slog after a while.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 11/16/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Amazing views of the red rock mountains around Sedona make this bumpy trail worth while.
Open
Visited: 10/10/2022
Entered the trail from Sedona , extremely rocky from the get go, like a cobblestone road with the stones are turned on end for the first couple of miles(Not enjoyable at all). Fortunately for us , or unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse. So we did a 180 and headed back to Sedona. Broken-Arrow trail was a much more enjoyable ride.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/10/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Great trail with incredible views of the red rocks! I definitely recommend airing down your tires for a smoother ride. I did this in a stock gladiator rubicon and had no issues at all. I will definitely be coming back to do this trail again
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/20/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Always a rockstar trail - probably my 5th time in as many years. Bumpy as all heck, but no technical sections or obstacles. Views to kill for. Any stock Wrangler can make it (or any other high clearance vehicle for that matter). Go early in the day to avoid the traffic and Pink Jeeps.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 06/19/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Ran the Schnebly Hill Trail from Sedona to 89A this morning. The climb is bumpy but doable for any vehicle that has high clearance. 4x4 not necessary but definitely helps with the climb.
The trail is most rough between waypoints 15-9. Lots of exposed rocks and some small shelves make it pretty bumpy. The road is wide enough in most places which makes picking a line easier. Once you hit the Schnebly Hill overlook, the road becomes a lot more tame and you can pick up some speed.
Do yourselves a favor and hit the trail early. I was on the trail at 730 this morning and did not see any pink Jeeps, ATVs, or large groups while I went up. I saw two Quads at the top but other than that I had the trail to myself. Spectacular views at the top!
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/31/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Love this trail. Few obstacles, although it is a bit rocky. I was traveling for a work event and decided to hit this trail on the way there and again on the way back. Started from Sedona day one, I17 day two. Camped on day two then made it for the sunrise. Jeep JLU 2” lift on 35”’s. My stock 3rd Gen Taco will easily make this trek.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/30/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Ran through this trail from Sedona side to I-17. Trail is very bumpy but is totally doable with a stock Toyota 4runner with aired down AT tires. Trail is wide with ample room for passing oncoming traffic. Views up top are amazing.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 05/14/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Harder
The trail is a bit more beaten up than I remember from last time. Ran it in reverse from the Sedona side. Probably a 3/4 now. Very rocky and bumpy on the entire western side of the trail between waypoints 10 and 12, with a few deeper ruts. Great views and camping on the rim. This time I camped at Foxboro Lake Dam, which was dry.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 05/10/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Beautiful views. Very Ricky and therefore a BUMPY RIDE. we did enjoy travel beginning at I-17. Doing so provided breathtaking views for most of the trip.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 04/26/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Ran from 17 down to Sedona. Great vistas. Rocky and jarring almost the whole way but not technically difficult. No other vehicles up top but pink jeeps and others at the bottom.
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Open
Visited: 04/01/2022
Trail now reopened from seasonal winter closure.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 11/26/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Beautiful trail views, the scenery is worth the trip. The actual trail is mainly just a rocky dirt road, nothing challenging except the constant chatter of hard packed sharp edged rocks. I was lazy and didn't air down, this was something I regret as the trail was very rocky and jarring when running at full tire pressure.
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Open
Visited: 11/13/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Had a ton of fun on this when my rig was near stock, Definetly recommend a small lift and good tire placement. Can be quite busy on weekends with two way traffic. Dont be in a rush and you will have fun. We started from I-17 and went down into Sedona which was very memorable.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 10/18/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Ran this trail into Sedona coming south from Flagstaff. It’s a nice way into town and scenic. The beginning part looks perfect for camping! There is a point that it is not allowed as you continue down. Views are great. I would say it is is very easy and the biggest obstacles on the trails are the Pink Jeep Tours. I would say if you do this ALWAYS do the little offshoot loop that is less traveled, has some harder sections, better camping spots and views!
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Open
Visited: 09/26/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Did this trail east to west starting about 5:00 AM in my 2020 Jeep JL Rubicon (2 door). The weather was drizzly and kept the dust down but it wasn't wet enough for mud. Only saw two other private vehicles and one Pink Jeep on the trail. It didn't seem as difficult as I had heard and with less than 15psi in the tires the bumps were not all that bad. Really some spectacular views, take some time to stop and enjoy.
Open
Visited: 09/26/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Took this trail on a rainy and foggy day, which added a fun layer of mud. The trail guide was spot on for the duration for what to expect and turn by turn. Once we got close to the top the fog was settled in so there were no views to be seen at the vistas this time but we will definitely come back to it.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/11/2021
What views! This trail was a great day trip from the Valley. We ran the trail from I-17 to Sedona, It was mostly downhill in that direction. There was alot of traffic on this trail, some other jeeps, quite a few pink jeeps, and a ton of side by sides ripping through at a fast pace.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/09/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
AMAZING Views, but the it is really nothing more than a tough rocky road. This trail snakes up from Sedona to the top of the Mogollon Rim and then continues on to the east if you are so inclined. There are some amazing vistas on the way up, but once you get to the overlook at the top---OMG!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/17/2021
Finally made it to Schnebly Hill and what an experience. The views from this trail are top notch. If you are in the area, do yourself a favor and make the time to drive this trail. The trail itself is extremely rocky as others have said so air down and be prepared to bounce around. A lot. But overall not technical by any means.
Some words of caution we learned firsthand. We came during a very active monsoon season and got caught in a storm. If there is rain in the forecast make sure you are off the trail before it strikes because this particular area floods extremely fast. Within minutes we were surrounded by waterfalls on all sides of the surrounding walls and were driving through a sizable stream for the majority of the remaining trail. The water will push boulders/rocks from high up the mountain walls down on to the trail.
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Open
Visited: 07/09/2021
Coconino National Forest has lifted the Stage 3 closures. Trails are now open.
Temporary Closure
Visited: 06/22/2021
The Coconino National Forest has issued a closure order for all recreational use of the Coconino National Forest due to extreme fire danger. This order will be in effect at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, and shall remain in effect until September 1, 2021, or until rescinded, whichever occurs first.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 05/29/2021
This trail offers some of the best views we have seen in the Sedona area! We aired down at the gate and went up the entire trail. From beginning to end the road is fairly wide and offers plenty of opportunities to take in the views. The trail is extremely rocky so be prepared for a bumpy ride.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 04/18/2021
This run was done on a sunday at around 10am. Did this trail as part of a bigger group with a jeep club. We had 34 jeeps in total and had a blast!
We started from the top at I-17 and drove down. 1st time running this trail but i think this was the best way. You see the views the whole time.
This trail is like all the other say, and is very rocky but not technical at all. Small rocks and slabs. Any stock jeep and more higher clearance suv will do fine. We had a Jeep Compass Trailhawk on BFG AT tires behind me and did fine, just pick the right lines.
Will defiantly be doing this run again!!!
Partially Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 04/05/2021
Did the lower 4 miles out of Sedona as I thought camping might be available. It isn't but trail is lots of exposed boulders making for the often mentioned bouncy ride. Lots of bottoming out on springs with the rover completely loaded. All that said... The view at the vista lookout is spectacular. Whole road should open in the next few weeks and I will be back.
Partially Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 03/27/2021
We did this trail on a Saturday and it was very busy. As everyone has said the views are worth the trip. It is not a technical trail, but as someone else described it, "annoyingly bumpy" is very accurate. After going about 200 yards up the trail from the Sedona side, we pulled off and aired down to 20lbs, that softened the ride, but not by much. Make sure everything in you cab is battened down. Took a couple hours to do the 4 miles up and back as we had to dodge Pink Jeeps and other touring companies every 15 minutes or so. I will do this trail again when it is open at the top, and during the week. To many people on the weekends. On that note, I will say that if your are debating about running this trail, do so. the views alone are worth it.
Partially Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 03/15/2021
Did the bottom 4 miles of the trail today. From town up to the Merry Go Round, upper part of the trail is closed for wet/winter weather conditions. I'm surprised this is a Badge of Honor trail, other than rough and rocky was pretty calm. Lots and lots of Pink Jeeps all over the trail. The views are amazing!!!! Glad we did the trail, but doubt will ever do it again if we find ourselves in Sedona in the future.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 01/10/2021
Really an incredibly scenic trail, and a good challenge in my vehicle, a 1993 Toyota Hiace camper van. Took about three hours as it’s very rocky and slow going. Drove it down from I-17, then actually looped back around on I-17 to get back to one of the campsites on 153A, as this was faster than driving back up the trail. The campsites are truly some of the best anywhere.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 12/27/2020
Amazing scenic trail into or out of Sedona. Be prepared for traffic on this one especially closer to Sedona as the Pink Jeeps take tours up what seemed like every 15 minutes. High ground clearance necessary at a few spots but I saw a stock honda CRV make it down in one piece so its not too crazy. The view is amazing and there's a couple spots you can get out and take photos without blocking the trail. As a side note when you get into Sedona make sure to grab a photo at the "unique" turquoise McDonalds...
Open
Visited: 12/19/2020
We drove this trail from the west side early in the morning on a clear sunny day. It was gorgeous and the vista was spectacular. The section from the west end up to the vista point is rocky but not technical. I think it may have been more fun going up that section than it might have been coming down. From the top eastbound to the highway is pretty much a dirt road. I would definitely do this one again. By going early we missed all the jeep tours.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 11/28/2020
Trail was excellent! The views were unbelievable. The only thing that was annoying were the Jeep tours. The trail was very rocky, but you pick your line. If you want a rougher line, you can choose that. Want something slightly smoother, good luck finding that line.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 10/29/2020
Great scenery but road has washed out considerably since last time we drove it. Not difficult but really rough. Smooths out on top but is rougher than a cob as you get closer to Sedona. Won't be driving this again anytime soon.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/24/2020
Some of the best views around. The trail is wide so passing or being passed is a lot easier than I was thinking it was going to be. It was a little rough but its a trail so we opted not to take the 6mo old but the older kids loved it. Its a trail that i will do every time I go up to Sedona great way to come in to town or leave town.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/24/2020
Ran this trail for the first time from west to east and went up the mountain. Spectacular views of the amazing red rock that makes up Sedona. Really rocky closer to Sedona but as you get closer to the 17 it smooths out. It was very busy which is understandable being that it was one of the first Saturdays that it wasn’t super hot in a long time. My entire family had a great time on this trail. Will be looking to do more soon
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Open
Visited: 10/22/2020
The Coconino National Forest website is erroneously reporting Schnebly Hill Road is closed. Though it does close seasonally, it is currently open. The Forest Service is trying to get their website corrected.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/07/2020
Took the trail from the I-17 trailhead going east to west. The ride through the trees on the upper rim is a peaceful, relaxing drive on a fairly smooth well maintained road. I feel this is the most scenic direction as the views of Sedona are ever present from the vista parking area to the end of the trail...for your passenger. The rough ride starts immediately after leaving the vista and there is no significant let up until the end of the trail. I am in a stock sport s with good a/t tires, and while there were no obstacles of any great difficulty, it is a relentlessly bumpy decent. If your diligent in watching your lines (as I was) it can be made without any scraping. Only saw about 10 or 12 other vehicles over the whole trail and had no problems with passing. The views are absolutely worth the pounding. But make no mistake, it is a rough slow descent.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/06/2020
This trail offers stunning views. However, DO NOT attempt in a passenger vehicle. And if you plan on going with your SUV, make certain that you have good off-road tires. The road is VERY rocky and will destroy tires not designed for this. While the views were stunning, the rough and rocky road took away from the experience.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 08/17/2020
I ran this trail because it’s a Badge of Honor Trail. The road is plenty wide for two vehicles to pass everywhere, but it is rough. I aired down to 12psi and it was far from smooth, but enjoyable.
The views are unlike anything I can see at home, and I’m really glad I made time in my road trip to accommodate running this trail.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/01/2020
2018 Subaru Crosstrek
1.5" Lift
235/75R15 Toyo AT2
I love this trail, beautiful view of red rock complimented with a fun mildly technical trail. We have taken this trail in the snow and in the rain. Ironically enough we havent taken it in dry weather and I am ok with that, it makes things more fun. We start in Sedona and take it up hill to Flagstaff, I prefer to climb. The trail does have a couple spots where I have to pick my line carefully, but we make it through without and scraping or rubbing.
It is a heavily used trail and even with the rough weather conditions we did see a lot of other vehicles. they were mostly traveling down the hill and there is plenty of room for passing.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 07/30/2020
This is a trip that you do once and check off. The difficult road conditions took the joy out of the trail.
We started from the east end heading down into Sedona. The views are beautifully majestic.
Trail filled with loose jagged rocks and frightening narrow shelf. We saw a lot of the local Pink Jeep tour groups and stock SUV with stock tires on the trail. We were unfortunate and got a flat even with aired down to 20/25psi front/rear on the new Toyo Open Country AT3s tires. Bad luck.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 07/11/2020
I've run this more than a few times showing off my home state to visitors. The views never cease to impress. The bumpy ride into Sedona never gets any better. But if you ever camp off FR 153A on the Rim, you will understand why people come back here over and over again.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 07/10/2020
This might be the first Jeep Badge Of Honor trail I wasn't sitting on the edge of my seat happy. The trail was alright but if in a built rig, it would have been a lot easier to drive through the trail to then run it backwards. The last bit was the best views, but was bumpy (Not hard). Most people never shifted into 4wd and I have a friend that drove their Prius on the trail. Thus great views which makes it worth it, if you like to camp, that would also be a huge bonus. Probably wouldn't do this trail again unless someone wanted to.
Open
Rated
2/5
Visited: 07/09/2020
Trail wasn’t busy as we drove it on a Thursday. Its not a difficult trail, it’s just very bumpy with all the rocks, which half way through it just isn’t enjoyable anymore. It does offer great views. It’s one of those trails you do once and don’t have to ever do again.
Open
Rated
2/5
Visited: 06/27/2020
Not sure why Jeep picked this one as a Jeep Badge of Honor trail honestly. Clogged with UTVs, not technical, and just bumpy the entire time. Tons of people made this trail hard to enjoy. Sure the scenery is beautiful in parts, but once was enough for me.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 06/27/2020
With the idea of this being a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, I had high hopes. I guess high hopes ruin about 50% of things you had high hopes for. While the views were fantastic - 5 star in my opinion, the crowds were pretty thick. I think if you want to do this road and really enjoy it, go mid-week! I would also suggest that people understand that not the entire trail wants to hear your music :) We all have our tastes, and this day, my type of music was not playing from the passerby's.
Open
Visited: 06/07/2020
Fun Easy Trail, Little Rough, make sure you have good Tires.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 05/29/2020
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Did this in a stock Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, and did not have any real issues with this one. The lower part towards Sedona is just a rocky wash and large rocks just slow the travel on the smaller tires. Larger tires will definitely travel this much smoother and make for a more pleasant trip
Partially Open
Visited: 04/08/2020
Still closed 4 miles in.
Partially Open
Visited: 02/29/2020
Only 4 miles open. No camping in the first 4 miles.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 11/07/2019
Made a run down this trail with a couple other rigs at sunset and, not to beat a dead horse but, the views were outstanding. As other reviewers noted, the trail certainly is a rocky roller coaster from end to end, although not too challenging. For vehicles with little ground clearance, there were a couple rocky ledges that might have posed a problem, but there were usually ways around most of the obstacles.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/19/2019
This trail is all about the scenery. I mean, The trail is quite rough, and there are some areas with larger rocks to get through but, if the road is dry, it is nothing that can’t be handled by an AWD stock SUV or Subaru with careful driving. Now if the road is wet and muddy, all bets are off. Whatever effort you need to put into getting up the trail, you will be handsomely rewarded with some of the most spectacular views you will find anywhere.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/10/2019
My wife and I had a blast driving the trail from Sedona up to I-17 then headed into Flagstaff for more fun. I am driving a stock 2016 Jeep Wrangler Oscar Mike edition with no added lift but good Wrangler Duratrac tires. The first several miles of the trail has not been maintained so it is very rough, rocky and rutted. I aired down only to about 25lbs because I knew I could go a couple miles up I-17 to a gas station and air back up for the rest of the trip. We took it very slow because it was a weekday with very little traffic or Jeep tours out of Sedona. We stopped several times to relax and view the beautiful Red Rocks. The last few miles of the trail up to I-17 was much easier driving with a more well maintained and/or recently graded road. The views are amazing all of the way through this trail. If you go on a weekday like we did, you won'[t see too many Jeep tours out of Sedona on the road. There is plenty of room on the trail for passing so no worries there. They only go about 1/2 of the trail to the view point and then go back to Sedona making the last 1/2 of the trail more private. We saw nobody else on the back half. I will surely be back to do it again with people who come visit us in AZ.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/17/2019
What a great trail if you've got a few hours and are in the Sedona area. Not the most technical trail, but as my daughter said, "is this a trail or a roller coaster?" In dry weather, this trail is rocky and rough from start to finish, but take your time and enjoy some incredible views! Temps up the trail will be 5-10 degrees cooler than in Sedona, so plan accordingly.
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Open
Visited: 05/24/2019
My wife and I went to Sedona for our anniversary. We ended up driving up Schnebly Hill Road. It started as a late afternoon run that ended as a night run. We had a blast. Great trail, Great views. Highly recommended.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 02/20/2019
Great trail. In the winter come in from Sedona. The upper trail is closed from Dec to Apr. Did the run from Sedona to the turn around (about 4 miles in). Great trail nothing hard but a bit bumpy. Watch for the pink jeep traffic.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 12/02/2018
Schnebly Hill is a fun ride, especially if you are driving people people who are new to Arizona and off-roading. It takes about an hour, on a non-busy day. But I would recommend taking your time and taking in the sights. There is a nice overlook, called the Schnebly Hill Vista. This trail is accessible from both the I-17 Schnebly Hill exit - heading into Sedona, or you can go into Sedona and head toward the I-17. Most traffic is from Sedona Jeep companies that only go form Sedona to the Vista and back into town.
If going I-17 to Sedona, the route could be extremely muddy after rain and or snow. Usually will be shut down if there are snow storms. Would recommend deflating tires because once you get to the Vista the route becomes more rocky and will shake ya to death if your suspension is extremely hard.
Also this trial is a Jeep "Badge of Honor" trail from the Jeep app.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 11/15/2018
Went up to the Hangover Trail parking area. Pretty rocky. If you have don't have AT/LT tires you might run into problems otherwise 2wd and no issues. Beautiful area.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/17/2018
We took this trail from Sedona to I 17. It was very rough and rocky. There are definitely some challenging spots on the road for a person new to four wheeling. It took us about 2 hours to do the whole road. It is very beautiful!
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Open
Visited: 06/17/2016
Just a quick report about Schnebly from I-17 to the Scenic Overlook. (I was headed to 153A for camping so I didn't go all the way down to sedona).
The first 3-4 Miles seem to have been recently 'conditioned' by a road grader and presented not even the slightest bump. But once you cross the lake, and head up the hill to the long strait away, The rocky conditions worsened. Some mud rutting was present on the long strait away that has camp spots on either side.
The hill past the start of Hot Loop, to it's exit at 153A was rutted, rocky and kidney jarring. (Rocks and Mud ruts). However, there was a Hyundai driving down it so it's gotta be rated as EASY.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 04/14/2016
Yep, the road is still here! It also looked like it has been somewhat maintained with some of the larger obstacles now having some dirt and rock filled in to make them less of an obstacle. Even some of the man-holes along the lower portions of the road were being re-done. I also hit [Hot Loop](http://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/1169-hot-loop) and [Jack's Canyon Road](http://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/1461-jacks-canyon-road) while on this trip.
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Open
Visited: 12/12/2015
WOW. What a great trip. We went looking for some snow up I-17 headed towards Flagstaff and when we saw Schnebly Hill Rd we decided to take it down to Sedona and run the Broken Arrow Trail. You should check that out too! When we started off it had a good amount of snow. This is Arizona haha. It was very peaceful and the air smelled so fresh and crisp. There were some fresh tracks to follow and the views of the snow covered trees was a delight. As we started to head down on the shelf road the canyon views were amazing. There was still lots of snow at this point so I did not get any good pics. The road was narrow for having snow on it and if someone was coming up we did not want to be in the way. About half way down the snow started to go away and it was a muddy road after that. It was a great start to a great day!!!
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Open
Visited: 09/05/2015
I traveled to Schnebly Hill Road from I17 to Schnebly Hill Vista. The road was very muddy due to recent rains. The condition of the trail highlights the change of difficulty due to inclement weather. Make sure to plan ahead and check weather/road conditions before visiting Schnebly Hill Road.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/08/2012
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Fun trail with incredible views and access to great hiking. Very rocky. Lots of jeep tours. Camping at the top is epic.
From the Community
Be the first to ask a question!
Wade May
Senior Editor, Contributor Development , Mapping Team
Hi! I'm Wade.
After 43 years as a pilot, split evenly between flying fighters for the Air Force and Boeing 737s for the airlines, my feet are firmly planted on the ground. Seems I spent a lot of my flying time looking out the cockpit window, thinking, "Yep, I could drive that trail."
My trips range from a few days to a month. For years most trips were solo in my silver 4Runner named Bullit. We ranged over all the southwest exploring remote places and trying to get as much dirt under the wheels as possible. Now, the Power Wagon named Brutus tows my Boreas EOS 12 to beautiful and remote areas. Occasionally I get in hiking, backpacking, and bushcraft as well.
Sharing my experiences as a member of the Trails Offroad crew and instructing at Overland Expo are true pleasures.
Hope to see you on the trail soon.
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